Container City: A Hidden Gem in London's Design Landscape

London is one of the most dynamic and inventive cities in the world, and there's so much going on beyond legendary sights like the Tower of London and Big Ben. Container City is a perfect example of a remarkable location that's offbeat and adds vibrancy to stories of visits to the capital. Discover why this design project gets people talking.

The project is a collection of shipping containers that were repurposed to provide affordable housing and workspaces. Container City 1 was installed in 2001 at Trinity Buoy Wharf in the Docklands area, and the adjacent Container City 2 was added in 2002. The colourfully painted containers are stacked up to five high, and once put together they appear as eye-catching constructs that are intriguing for anyone who visits the place. 

The developers realised that the units don't need to be stacked directly on top of each other, and can instead be arranged in interesting patterns. Standing on the ground outside, you'll feel like you're on the set of a sci-fi movie. The development is an example of modular construction, in which sections are prepared off-site and brought in once completed, often by crane. In this case, the containers already existed but the interiors were fitted out off-site. 

The name is a trademark of Urban Space Management, and the company is attached to multiple past and future projects in the UK, including Container City Camden.

Using a shipping container as a home or office space is completely legal in the UK, although the use is dependent on certain regulations related to, for example, the location of the project and how permanent the planned use is. While well-known squats might be part of walking tours in some cities around the world, such as Berlin or New York, the development in the Docklands is a high-concept project that was never an informal development. 

Container homes and workspaces also contribute to sustainability. The project at Trinity Buoy Wharf is a large-scale example of recycling because shipping containers destined for scrap have now become occupied. The containers can also be moved easily to another location, which means they would be recycled once again and would free up land for other purposes without any demolition being required. Recycled materials have also been widely used for the interiors, and low-energy lighting is installed. 

In case you're wondering, the units do have the basic comforts you'd expect to find in any house, like electricity and running water. The spaces have had porthole windows installed so there's plenty of light and ventilation, and insulation ensures the units aren't too cold in winter. Many of the doors lead onto compact balconies overlooking the comings and goings in this animated part of London where creatives converge. Some even have river views! Amazingly, an elevator is installed in a container that has been turned vertically on its end and now shuttles people up to higher units. Because the containers are so versatile, it's easy to incorporate other facilities that make life more comfortable - The Orchard Café at the same site is also set in a container.

It's not possible to drop in and look inside the privately rented containers, but the location is well worth a visit to see the architectural ingenuity up close and to compose captivating pictures of the striking exteriors. After taking a moment to look up and admire these futuristic constructs towering like giant Transformers above you, step out onto the waterfront and gaze across the River Thames towards the distinctive O2 arena and the shimmering skyline. The units are now primarily used as workspaces and studios for artists and creatives, so the area is vibrant during any day of the week. However, you're more likely to hear chatter echoing off the corrugated walls of the local cafe on a Friday lunchtime rather than a Sunday afternoon. 

Don't miss the other hidden gems in the immediate vicinity at Trinity Buoy Wharf. London's only remaining lighthouse can be found along the river, and this redbrick treasure dating from 1864 is fittingly named the Experimental Lighthouse as it was built to train lighthouse keepers and test equipment. The revered scientist Michael Faraday actually conducted experiments here, and adjacent is a reconstruction of one of Faraday's workshops: The Faraday Effect. This enchanting locale that looks like a garden shed is one of London's smallest museums.

These two locations are some of the most extraordinary free things to do in London...and that's before we even mention that a 1,000-year-long piece of music can be heard playing in the lighthouse. Head to the lamp room to see the collection of Tibetan singing bowls and the cutting-edge technology that combined to make this amazing project possible.

Experimental Lighthouse address: Trinity Buoy Wharf, 64 Orchard Place, Poplar, London E14 0JW

Open:

• Saturdays and Sundays
• April - October, 11 am to 5 pm
• November - March, 11 am to 4 pm

There's not a huge selection of places to eat in the area, but The Orchard Café has a varied menu to choose from between 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays and 8 am to 4 pm on weekends. Breakfast burritos, Mexican omelettes, Greek salads and gyros wraps are among the options. An 8-minute drive or 25-minute walk away, you'll reach Canning Town with its informal international eateries, including Turkish fare at Meydan Restaurant (67 Barking Rd, London E16 4HB) and Lebanese eats at Petit Cafe (4 Minnie Baldock St, London E16 1YE).

The closest tube station to Container City is Canning Town on the Jubilee Line, which is around 18 minutes' walk away or an 8-minute cab ride. If you're walking, follow the blue signs for Trinity Buoy Wharf. The East India station on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is only a 15-minute walk from Container City. The Leamouth / Orchard Place bus stop is 6 minutes away on foot, where the D3 route will take you to Canary Wharf in 15 minutes. There you'll find upmarket restaurants and swanky bars along with one of London's most famous skyscrapers, One Canada Square.

TRIBE London Canary Wharf hotel shares a lot of values with Container City, being focused on sophisticated, contemporary design that's affordable and functional. Book a room to be close to all the sights at Trinity Buoy Wharf.

When you want to get off the beaten track in London and find yourself somewhere special, make Container City your next stop!